OUR READERS WRITE...

April 7, 2013

From the beginning to the end I want to commend Salem Community Hospital for the great and outstanding care our family received during our daughter's recent unexpected surgery.

First to Dr. Bonetti for advising us to go to the hospital for tests. Andrew in X-ray for being so kind when explaining what would go on during the CT scan. Pam for doing an awesome job performing the scan and keeping our daughter calm (and giving her a bear.)

All the women who gave a worried mom a kind word and reassurance. Glory for a bear and stickers when were were finished. Dr. Pugh and his team from the operating room and the people who comforted my daughter in recovery and thank you to Angela and Margaret for getting us ready.

To Nursing Supervisor Steve for recognizing me right away and offering assistance immediately. Thank you to the 2 North staff, Jane, Leah, Carrie, Alyssa, Becki and Reba.

To transport for getting us where we needed to be. To housekeeping for keeping our room tidy. To all the people who sent well wishes and peaked their heads in the room to see how we were. Karyl, Sandy, Mike and Becki for the gifts, that meant so much. All the people who recognized me from working in dietary.

All of our family who spent time waiting with us. They are the ones that are always there for you. My friends from the kitchen who gave special treatment to us. To my co-workers who accommodated me needing a couple of days off to be at home.

And to my husband for being strong when I wasn't and to a "super trooper" little girl who was tougher than I was and amazingly strong. I hope I didn't leave anyone out, but if I did I will remember all of your faces at SCH.

Thank you from the Kaminski family.

LORI KAMINSKI,

Salem

On behalf of Postal Service workers

To the editor:

The Postmaster General's proposed plan to end Saturday mail is ill informed, and it may ultimately just discourage customers from using the postal service reducing mail volumes even further and worsening its financial situation.

The American people rely on the USPS six days a week. Over 21 percent of FedEx packages are delivered by the post office. The post office delivered 400,000,000 packages for FedEx and UPS. The post office receives no tax dollars. The path to reform for the United States Postal Service should be comprehensive. The USPS needs a plan that strengthens the last mile delivery network, preserves six day mail delivery, provides relief from congressional mandates and explores new business opportunities and revenue streams. The postal service is an essential part of America's infrastructure upon which all our communities depend. Instead of haphazardly cutting corners to cut costs in the short term, the postal service needs a plan that will allow it to evolve to meet the changing needs of a 21st century customer base. We need a viable long term solution, and dropping Saturday mail service just isn't it.

What some in Congress (and the PMG) avocation is for is a dangerous slash and shrink plan that will eliminate Saturday delivery and diminish the overall economic competitiveness of the postal service. We need a plan that will strengthen, not dismantle, the postal service.

Just one day of delay can impact everything from family finances to the delivery of time sensitive communications. The postal service's last mile network is unmatched by any private delivery company, and moving to five day mail would give rural Americans no choice but to forgo the mail for several days at a time. For small businesses where every penny counts, the postal service delivers more than just the mail. USPS offers affordable billing, shipping and advertising options and secures delivery of business communications, including confidential and financial documents.

Slowing down the mail by cutting a day of delivery will put small business owners at a competitive disadvantage by preventing them from conducting business in today's 24/7 market. Many business and household customers choose the Postal Service for its reliable and competitively price options.

In addition to forcing customers to use private carriers for Saturday letter delivery, if full service Saturday mail delivery is canceled, Saturday package delivery rates are likely to increase as well. Letter carriers will no longer be visiting every address on their regular routes so parcel delivery will cost more. Saturday mail delivery provides tens of thousands of middle class postal jobs. Approximately 22,500 full-time letter carrier positions will be cut if the mail is delivered one less day each week. As the largest civilian employer of veterans in the country, this group will be disproportionately harmed by a five day delivery schedule. Americans who have served in our Armed Forces often struggle to find employment once their service has ended. Eliminating Saturday delivery risks further destabilizing the job market for the men and women who have severed our country with honor.

The above is only part of why Congress should get behind the efforts to save the postal service and not dismantle it, there are bills currently pending that address the issue. They are H. Res. 30. H.R.630, H. R.961 and S.316. Let's put people before politics. I would ask that those that haven't co-sponsored these bills to please do so, for those that have thank you.